Panic attacks are sudden and brief episodes of anxiety that are usually very distressing for a person. If they happen occasionally, they might not have a strong impact on one´s life, but if they happen frequently, they can significantly lower the quality of life. Panic attacks can be a problem on their own or part of a disorder and, as such, a way the disorder manifests.
Panic attacks can happen for a variety of reasons. Understanding the triggers and causes of panic attacks can potentially prevent them and certainly help treat them in an efficient way. This is why we will, with this text, answer the question of what causes a panic attack and lay out some suggestions on how to address and manage them.
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What is a Panic Attack?
The American Psychological Association defines a panic attack as a sudden and intense fear in the absence of any real danger. They manifest not only with fear but also with many physical symptoms like heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, nausea, abdominal cramps, chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, sweating, and dizziness. A person might feel like they are going crazy, losing control, or dying.
Panic attacks often get mixed up with anxiety attacks, as they can have similar symptoms. Anxiety attacks also manifest with physical signs like a racing heart or a knot in your stomach, but these symptoms are generally less intense than those of a panic attack and last longer. Another important difference is that anxiety attacks have stressors as triggers, and they can build up over time, while the same can´t be said about panic attacks. Knowing this, you might be curious about what can cause a panic attack.
What Causes a Panic Attack?
There is no single and unique answer to what causes a panic attack, but many factors have been identified that can contribute to a panic attack´s occurrence. We can speak of biological and psychological factors.
Biological Factors
Certain centers in our brain are responsible for how we process information and what we feel. Some researchers think that the amygdala (a part of our brain that processes fear) is at the root of this condition, while others speak of a so-called fear network that involves the amygdala, hypothalamus, and brainstem centers and that acts as a worry-fera circuit, resulting in panic attacks. Other theories include chemical disbalance in our brains related to serotonin, cortisol, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Another working theory is that genetics contributes to panic attacks. The theory developed due to the discovery of the heredity of psychiatric illness in first-degree relatives. As panic attacks can be a part of other mental disorders, it makes sense for genetics to play a part. Still, the exact nature of the genetic influence is unknown.
Psychological Factors
When speaking of what is a panic attack caused by, psychological factors need to be mentioned. Some speak of them as causes, others as risk factors, but undoubtedly, they are impactful contributors. Here are some typical psychological factors to keep in mind:
- Traumatic experiences. Surviving a traumatic event like sexual assault, a major accident, or being a victim of childhood abuse can be linked to panic attack experiences. Being in a triggering situation (something that reminds you of a traumatic experience) can lead to a panic attack. In this context, a panic attack might be a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- High levels of stress. Significant stressors, like major life changes (getting a divorce or becoming a parent) or negative life events (death in the family), can also be related to panic attacks. Fear and anxiety are normal reactions to these events, but if they happen suddenly, at high intensity, and are accompanied by physical symptoms, you might be experiencing a panic attack.
- Personality traits. Anxious temperament and anxiety-related personality traits are often mentioned as contributing factors in panic attack development. Those personal characteristics can make a person more sensitive to outside signals, experience more events as triggering (on either a conscious or unconscious level), and therefore lead to exaggerated fear even when there´s no actual danger.
What Causes a Panic Attack Out of Nowhere?
Although it might seem that to have a panic attack, you need to have either a biological or psychological predisposition, in reality, panic attacks can happen spontaneously, out of nowhere.
Some researchers see panic attacks as “false alarms” where body´s survival instinct strongly kicks in. It happens when someone shows high sensitivity to signals their body creates. Heart racing due to high caffeine intake or heavy exercising, might be interpreted as a heart attack, causing a panic attack that further creates more frightening physical symptoms. A vicious circle is created, making it difficult to distinguish what came first.
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FREE 24/7 Dual Diagnosis Mental Health Therapy HelplineWhat Causes a Panic Attack While Sleeping?
A person can also have a panic attack while sleeping, which is known as a nocturnal panic attack. It´s a sudden feeling of fear that causes people to wake up and can manifest in shortness of breath, heart racing, and heavy sweating. As with panic attacks that happen during the day, it´s difficult to point fingers at what causes a panic attack while sleeping. However, some risk factors are known.
Those struggling with mental disorders like anxiety disorder, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are more likely to experience nocturnal panic attacks. Similarly, people with substance abuse problems and disorders can face panic attacks during the night. Other risk factors include anger and hostility issues, as well as sleep problems like insomnia or sleep apnea.
Treatment for Panic Attacks
Even when they happen only occasionally, panic attacks are highly uncomfortable and stressful, and addressing them with a treatment is a recommendable action. There are different ways of dealing with panic attacks, and the choice depends, among other things, on the severity of the symptoms and their impact on your life. Here are a few efficient ways to deal with panic attacks:
- Psychotherapy. Since panic attacks are connected with how a person interprets a situation, working with a therapist on thinking patterns can help manage, if not eliminate, panic attacks.
- A cognitive-behavioral approach (CBT) does exactly that. It identifies dysfunctional thinking and feeling patterns and works to replace them with functional ones, resulting in adaptive behavior.
- Another way to combat panic attacks is to be confronted with their triggers and this can be done with exposure therapy. This approach works on habituating (getting used to) potentially triggering situations by being repeatedly exposed to them.
- Support groups can be another way to deal with panic attacks, although their function is more related to a sense of belonging, inclusion, and broader support. They can serve as inspiration for dealing with your own troubles and can offer a variety of perspectives and success stories.
- Medications. Sometimes, when panic attacks are overwhelming, your therapist might also suggest taking medication for panic attacks. Their function is to offer immediate relief, allowing you to focus on working through the emotions and patterns that caused them. Medications are almost never a stand-alone treatment but rather a complementary one happening alongside the therapy.
- Lifestyle changes. Introducing a few lifestyle changes can be a supporting mechanism for dealing with panic attacks. Mindful meditation can help you discover peace and calm and make you feel grounded. Breathing exercises can also provide a valuable technique for calming yourself down. Physical exercises can help with overall health and brain chemical balance and decrease the risk of experiencing a panic attack.
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Hotline (888) 680-7311Seeking Professional Help
No matter what causes a panic attack, once you start experiencing it more frequently and it starts negatively impacting your life, you ought to address it. Even when you can identify on your own what is a panic attack caused by, learning how to manage them rather than letting them impair your life requires professional help. We Level Up Palm Beach FL, and its team of experts can aid you in this learning process.
We rely on evidence-based methods that successfully treat problems like high functioning anxiety, which often includes panic attacks. We can help you understand your anxiety and why panic attacks take place, and then work with you on addressing the underlying issues causing these problems. Our anxiety disorder treatment in Palm Beach Florida implements a variety of methods to not only resolve your current issues but also empower you to deal with any new challenges life might throw your way.
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Don´t let panic attacks dictate how you behave and act. Learn to deal with triggers, manage your symptoms, and live a more satisfying life. Call us and get a free consultation. All our calls are confidential and there is never any obligation.
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Sources:
National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Panic Disorder: When Fear Overwhelms. Www.nimh.nih.gov. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms
Na, H.-R., Kang, E.-H., Lee, J.-H., & Yu, B.-H. (2011). The Genetic Basis of Panic Disorder. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 26(6), 701. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.6.701
dictionary.apa.org. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology. [online] Available at: https://dictionary.apa.org/panic-attack.